Doctor Who Day 6 'The Reawakening'
by Romana4Ever
Summary: Day 6. The Doctors last task. He is sent to Little Hodcombe in 1643. The Doctor quickly figures out it must have something to do with Will Chandler and the Malus. The Doctor is aided by Barbara Wright. After he is finished Barbara and Star are whisked away. When the Guardians reveal the Real Reason for all of the Doctor's simple tasks, it will shatter his world as he knew it.


**DOCTOR WHO DAY 6**

**'THE REAWAKENING'**

The Doctor was just about to ask about his last and final assignment when The Red Guardian began speaking through Star.

"Yes Doctor." The Red Guardian said. "We have your last assignment all prepared along with your last and final companion. We doubt you'll need a second. We won't bother telling you your assignment because you'll already know what to do once you've arrived."

Suddenly The Doctor found himself just outside of an old English Village. It was still just before dawn. The Doctor thought it looked vaguely familiar.

"Surely you can give me a small hint." The Doctor said a bit perplexed. "Where and when am I? And who is my companion?"

"This looks to be about the 1600's and if I'm not mistaken this appears to be Little Hodcombe." An all too familiar female voice said from behind him.

The Doctor spun around to face Barbara Wright! One of his earliest companions.

"Barbara!" The Doctor shouted joyfully as he hugged her. "Oh it is so good to see you. I was with Ian yesterday and Vicki! Did he tell you." A thought occurred to the Doctor. "Oh wait. Are you from before they took him? If so, I might have upset your time stream, and I'd never want to do that,"

"Yes, Ian told me Doctor." Barbara reassured him. "That was four years ago. I wasn't quite sure whether or not believe him but since our adventures together, I'm open to just about anything."

"That's my gal." The Doctor said cheerfully. "So do you have any clue what our," The Doctor broke off suddenly. "Did you say Little Hodcombe?" The Doctor looked around frantically. "What makes you think that's where we're at?"

"Well that sign over there that says 'Little Hodcombe' for one thing." Barbara said perplexed by the Doctors behavior. "Why? Are you familiar with this place?" Barbara looked about. "It looks like an ordinary English village."

"Little Hodcombe is where my friend Tegan's Grandfather lives or will live." The Doctor kept looking the village up and down. "If you're right, and you usually are, we are somewhere in the 1600's. And if I'm suppose to already know what I must do, then I'm guessing we're it's 1643. And the site of one of the bloodiest battles during the,"

"The First Civil War." Barbara finished the sentence for him.

"I was forgetting you were a history teacher." The Doctor said smiling fondly at Barbara. "Yes, and," The Doctor began smelling the air. "Woe, destruction, ruin, and decay; The worst is death, and death will have his day." The Doctor quoted.

"Richard II Act III, scene 2." Barbara said. "What's wrong Doctor?"

"There was a human sacrifice here recently." The Doctor said grimly. "A woman. Chosen to be the Queen of May. A great honor no doubt they told her, before they burned her at the stake."

"Doctor that's awful!" Barbara was horrified. "Surely even in this day and age they weren't that barbaric. I mean,"

"There was a young man named Will. He told me about it. How she screamed as the flames engulfed her." The Doctor said somberly.

The Sun began to rise in the sky. The Doctor and Barbara could hear people beginning to stir.

"So what are we here to do?" Barbara asked. "Since we're too late to stop the burning of that poor woman."

The Doctor thought about it for a minute.

"Hold on!" The Doctor said excitedly. "Will! Will Chandler! He must need my help. Our help. Come on! We have to find him.

The Doctor and Barbara began running through the village.

"What does he look like?" Barbara asked.

"What?" The Doctor said distracted. "Oh yes. Well, he is about 16 medium height, brown hair a little scruffy but other then that,"

"Doctor!" Barbara shouted. "Over there! Look! That boy! those soldiers are him dragging over towards that tree. They're going to hang him!"

"Over my dead body." The Doctor said angrily. "Come on." He said to Barbara.

As they ran towards the soldiers a thought suddenly occurred to the Doctor. But he couldn't stop. The Doctor and Barbara carefully approached the group of soldiers.

"Excuse me." The Doctor said pleasantly. "Why do you hang one who is loyal to your cause?" The Doctor asked.

"He refuses to fight for Cromwell." Sgt Esmond said. "He will therefore be hanged."

"But that makes no sense." Barbara interjected. "You rebel against the King because you believe him to be unfair?" Barbara asked one of the soldiers.

"Indeed madam." Sgt Esmond replied. "

But you call yourselves fair?" Barbara demanded. "Hanging a young man? He probably doesn't understand the cause. Have you not taken the time to explain it to him?"

"We haven't the time." The Soldier insisted.

"I'll do it." Barbara insisted. "I'll look after him. He will learn the errors of his way."

He threw the rope over a tree branch.

"You think you can make him see reason?" Another Soldier asked. "We don't want no traitors in our midst."

"You can't just execute a young boy because he won't fight." The Doctor tried to reason with the soldier.

"He is to be executed!" Sgt Esmond said curtly.

"He is just a young boy!" The Doctor said angrily. "Surely there are enough of you to fight this war. You hardly require an inexperienced fighter like young Will here."

"So you know the little wretch, ay?" Sgt Esmond asked.

Just then a group of Royalist rode up on their horses. The Parliamentarian Roundheads drew their swords.

"Or maybe you're all traitors. Maybe we ought to hang ye all." Sgt Esmond shouted.

"Or maybe I just call on, Star!" The Doctor yelled skyward. "Where are you? Surely you can help us out a little on this last assignment?"

Star suddenly appeared in their midst. The Soldiers were clearly spooked by her sudden appearance.

"I am here Doctor." Star said in her child-like voice. "I didn't think you would need me. I guess I was wrong." Star seemed to think something over. "Very well. It IS the last time we'll probably ever see one another. There is nothing the Guardians can do to me. Doctor. Make a wish."

The Doctor grabbed Will and Barbara's arms and ran for cover behind several bundles of hay.

"Not the best place for cover, but it'll do." The Doctor declared.

Both groups of soldiers started circling around Star looking her over like she was a piece of meat. Star took no notice of them. Instead she slowly started to emanate heat. Hotter and hotter she grew.

"You men fight and kill without remorse." Star said. "You kill for a cause you don't even fully understand. You do not respect life."

The Soldiers started sweating profusely.

"It's getting hotter then the fires of he," A soldier started to say.

"It's her!" Another soldier said pointing to Star. "Kill her!"

Star suddenly started glowing.

"Doctor take Will to where he must go." Star commanded. "Hurry."

The Doctor grabbed Will and took off towards the Church with Barbara in tow. They ran as fast as they could. They entered the Church.

"Quick!" The Doctor shouted. "Look for the priest Hole. Will you must hide there. Trust me."

"Who ye be?" Will asked.

"I be," The Doctor stopped. "I be, John Smith. And you be Will Chandler. That be a proper name." The Doctor smiled as he said this.

"Ay." Will agreed.

Barbara held out her hand to Will who shyly shook her hand.

"Ye be a proper lady." Will said shyly. "And a beautiful one at that."

"Well aren't you sweet?" Barbara said. "Doctor, weren't Priest Holes generally found in houses of Catholics who were hiding the Priest?"

"Yes." The Doctor replied. "But for some reason there was one built here in the church. Question is where? We'll figure out the why later. Come on."

Star suddenly let out a giant wave of energy and knocked the soldiers out. She then began the cooling process. Star then headed for the Church. She found the Doctor, Barbara and Will still trying to find the priest hole.

"I've knocked them out." Star told the Doctor. "They'll recover in a few minutes. Now please hurry. Even if they are out more then fifteen minutes, you still need to get Will somewhere safe before your hour is up. And don't forget who else is here."

The Doctor stopped in his tracks. He turned around slowly.

"You mean the Malus?" The Doctor said slowly. "I completely forgot about him. Right. Well, this does put a different spin on things, doesn't it?"

"Doctor who or what is this Malus?" Barbara asked concerned.

"The Malus is a war-machine that made up the first stage of a Hakolian invasion." The Doctor replied. "Of course the invasion never happened."

"What happened?" Barbara asked. "What prevented the invasion?"

"A lack of information is the usual reason." The Doctor answered. "Or could it be that we stopped the invasion?" The Doctor looked to Star for the answer.

"You must find the answer for yourself Doctor." Star replied.

So the Malus is downstairs about to awaken for the first time." The Doctor said. "Come along Barbara, Will. Shall we go have a look see?"

"Shouldn't we find the priest hole first?" Barbara asked.

"No." The Doctor said as recollected. "I think Will should see what the actions of the Civil War has brought about and why he should not help either side."

They head for the stairs and cautiously make their way down the steps. They can hear the dull roar of some creature in the basement. The noise frightens Will. He tries to go back up the steps but Barbara gently restrains him and urges him to keep going to the basement.

They look around the basement. The Doctor notices a crack in one of the walls. The Doctor felt a sense of Deja vu.

"Well, well, well." The Doctor said. "This is just like the crack I saw last time I was here. Which was in the future." He added.

"So the Malus is behind this wall Do," Barbara stopped herself just in time. "I mean, Mr Smith?"

"Indeed he is." The Doctor answered as he examined the wall. "He will use the psychic energy of the battle to energize himself. But he needs lots energy so he will increase the violence. Make it escalate. Probably why the battle was fought here. No other reason for them to have come here. It's not on any of the main routes to London. It's a bit out of the way but that is precisely what he wants."

"So he psychically entices them to come here." Barbara began as she puzzled out what the Doctor had said. "And then he makes the battle even more intense so he can absorb their psychic energy from the violence?"

"Exactly so." The Doctor said approvingly. "An A for the teacher."

"Mr Smith, this is no time for jokes." Barbara said seriously. "We must stop this battle. We can't let them fight."

"No, we mustn't interfere." The Doctor said with regret in his voice. "It's a fixed point in time. And you remember what happened last time you tried to alter a fixed point in time? The Aztecs? hmmm?" The Doctor reminded her.

"Yes, alright." Barbara said admittedly. "I remember. Point taken. So how do we keep the Malus from feeding off of their violent energy? Surely we can at least stop that from occurring?"

The Doctors mind raced furiously as he puzzled out what to do next. But even as his mind was racing the crack got bigger. Suddenly big chunks of the wall began to fall. The Doctor remembering what happened last time stepped back a few feet away from the wall.

"Move away from the wall." The Doctor warned. "That whole wall will be falling down in a minute."

Barbara and Will moved away while Star just stood there looking bored. Suddenly a huge chunk of the wall fell revealing the face of the Malus. Barbara was frightened but intrigued. Will however backed away whimpering.

"It be the devil!" Will shouted.

"No, not the devil." The Doctor said mildly. "Just an evil war machine left here by the Hakolian." The Doctor examined the Malus and the wall. "Though I can see why one would think that. So who are you controlling this time? hmm? The battle would have never come here had you not drawn it." The Doctor said to the Malus in an accusing tone of voice.

"What do you mean controlling Doctor?" Barbara asked. "You mean like a medium?"

The Doctor couldn't help smiling affectionately at Barbara. She was always one of his favorites. So bright.

"Precisely a medium Barbara." The Doctor said loudly. " So who is it? It would have to be someone with a fairly high rank."

"How about that Sgt Esmond?" Barbara suggested. "He seemed really bent on hanging Will."

"So how about it?" The Doctor asked the Malus. "Sgt Esmond would be the perfect puppet for you."

The Doctor couldn't help smiling affectionately at Barbara. She was always one of his favorites. So bright.

"Precisely a medium Barbara." The Doctor said loudly. " So who is it? It would have to be someone with a fairly high rank."

"How about that Sgt Esmond?" Barbara suggested. "He seemed really bent on hanging Will."

"So how about it?" The Doctor asked the Malus. "Sgt Esmond would be the perfect puppet for you."

Outside the soldiers regain consciousness. They slowly stand up and look around trying to figure out what happened. Then they the two armies recognized one another and they began doing battle.

The Malus roared with delight.

"This be bad?" Will asked. "Being used as a medium?"

"A person would be better off dead, then used by the Malus." The Doctor answered without thinking how those words would be interpreted by Will later on.

"The Malus is getting stronger and I don't have my Tardis here to block it like I did the last time I faced it." The Doctor said pointedly to Star.

"And by cutting off it's psychic energy it ended up dying." Star said. "In case you're forgetting Doctor. He can't die now. Otherwise,"

"Otherwise I alter future events which must remain untouched." The Doctor finished for her. "So what can I do?" He asked Star.

"Why not do as you originally planned?" Star asked. "Hide Will."

"And leave the Malus to you?" The Doctor asked. "Can YOU block it from absorbing the psychic energy from the Battle out there?" Then noting the look of contempt on Star's face, the Doctor quickly added. "No offense meant. I was just wondering. All right. Come along Barbara. You and I must find this Priest Hole." The Doctor said as he headed for the stairs.

Barbara and Will followed the Doctor up the steps. Star turned to the Malus.

"You won't be absorbing anymore energy from these battles Malus." Star said simply.

The Malus roared at her which simply made Star laugh.

"Do you really think a mere creature such as yourself can frighten a Star?" Star asked.

The Malus seemed to almost laugh at this.

"You doubt me?" Star said sighing. "Why must so many creatures and aliens doubt who I am? Very well. A small demo. Wouldn't want you burning to a crisp, now would we?" As Star started heating up.

Stars temperature rose so high that the Malus started sweating. Star cooled herself down.

"I see I have your attention." Star said. "Now unless you want to acquire some bad psychic scarring, I suggest you go to sleep."

The Malus roared angrily at this. Star focused some of HER psychic energy towards the Malus which caused him to roar in pain.

"That was your last warning Malus." Star warned. "Time for hibernation!"

The Malus roared and then he got steadily quieter and quieter until he was completely dormant. Star then caused the wall to reassemble.

Upstairs The Doctor showed Barbara the spot where Will came through.

"I swear it was right here." The Doctor insisted. "I followed a psychic projection that had stolen Te, er, a friends purse and when I reached this point the wall started crumbling and then out came Will."

Barbara walked over to the wall and examined it. She kicked at the boards and heard a slight hollow sound.

"Doctor, what's behind here?" Barbara asked.

The Doctor knocked on the wall.

"Hmm, I wonder." The Doctor mused while he started pulling away some of the boards.

Behind the wall was a room no bigger then a broom closet.

"Who on earth would build a Priest Hole in a church?" Barbara asked slightly surprised.

"The Reverend's a nice man." Will said. "He be nice to me and to other poor folk. He doesn't like fighting. He taught me that fighting is no solution. And we should respect people whichever way they be believing."

"There you go." The Doctor said. "The local Reverend is obviously sympathetic to those who are persecuted for mere ideological differences. Okay in you go Will. Look there's even a small bed for you to rest. Trust me. You'll be safe. The soldiers won't find you in here."

"But Doctor." Barbara protested. "What about food and water?"

"Here you go." Star said suddenly appearing holding a jug of water and a box of food. "These will last you until you are able to leave this Priest Hole."

The Doctor and Barbara are a bit startled by Star's sudden appearance.

"Right, let's seal this up." The Doctor said as he looked around for a hammer.

Suddenly Star handed him a hammer.

"You should have thought of a need for one sooner." Star said shaking her head. "There was a whole box of tools down in the basement. But you were too distracted by the Malus."

The sound of battle drew closer to the church.

"Doctor we should maybe leave." Barbara suggested. "Draw them away from here so they don't find Will."

"Good idea." The Doctor said. "Let's go."

They headed out of the Church and started down the road when they noticed the soldiers heading their way. They immediately turned and started running the other way. The soldiers seemed to be gaining when everything suddenly started moving slowly. The Doctor stopped running and looked around. He noticed both Barbara and Star had disappeared and the soldiers ran past him as if they couldn't see him. The Doctor realized that his last task was over with. But the Guardians didn't even give him a chance to say good-bye to Barbara or Star.

Suddenly the Doctor found himself back on Salostophus. The Doctor could see the city far off in the distance.

Suddenly the Crystal Guardian, the Red Guardian, the Azure Guardian and the Gold Guardian all stood all around the Doctor.

"Well, well, well." The Doctor greeted them. "It would seem my tasks have been completed. I hope you're not too disappointed. I bet you thought these easy little tasks would have tripped me up but they didn't. So if you'd be so good as to return me to my Tardis, I'll just be,"

"We never doubted you for a moment Time Lord." The Gold Guardian said in a slightly mocking tone of voice. "Still you have not realized the lesson we felt you needed to learn." This was said as a statement of fact rather then a question.

"To be more humble." The Doctor quipped. "Well this has been a most humbling experience, I must say, but I have places to go, things to do, people to see."

"You still do not realize all we have done for you Doctor." The Crystal Guardian said. "Did you not find our choices of companions odd?"

"Well you didn't always chose the companions." The Doctor reminded them.

"Oh you mean the back-up companions." The Crystal Guardian said mildly. "Yes, we knew you would need assistance from more then one companion from time to time. And yes, it was Star who made the suggestion but it was up to us whether or not to bring them. Again, did you notice anything your companions and friend had in common?"

"I cared about them." The Doctor said. "They all traveled with me. Except for poor Liz Shaw. And well, Glitz was never a companion nor that good of a friend, but still. He was rather amusing. No. Not a clue."

"That they all came from BEFORE the Time War, Doctor?" The Red Guardian asked.

"Well no." The Doctor stammered. "I mean, yes, they did. But what's that got to. Why would that matter?"

"Because towards the end of the Time War, your mind was invaded by an evil force." The Crystal Guardian said.

The Doctor laughed at this.

"Are you trying to tell me that my mind was invaded and somehow I remain oblivious to this?" The Doctor asked as he nearly doubled over with laughter. "Oh, you lot are hilarious. You really had me going there for a minute. But oh my, an evil force invaded my mind." The Doctor was clearly mocking the Guardians.

"Doctor!" The Azure Guardian snapped. "Tell us about your adventure with Sabalom Glitz." He asked suddenly becoming gentle.

"Why?" The Doctor demanded.

"Just humor us. Please Doctor." The Azure Guardian asked.

"Well the first time I encountered him was on Ravolox." The Doctor said in a puzzled tone. "I was curious about that planet. It was said to have been devastated by a fireball and yet it didn't look like it had been hit by it at all. Why?"

"And what did planet Ravolox turn out to be?" The Gold Guardian asked.

"Earth." The Doctor responded a little sarcastically. "As I'm sure you all know."

"And the time after that?" The Crystal Guardian asked.

"Aboard the space station above Gallifrey." The Doctor responded.

"Why did the Master bring him and Melonie Bush to your trial?" The Crystal Guardian asked.

"To testify on my behalf that my version of events were the true ones." The Doctor answered. "Contrary to what the Matrix was showing at times."

"So the Matrix, as big and powerful of a machine that it is, can have it's programming slightly altered to display incorrect versions of events?" The Red Guardian asked.

"Of course." The Doctor snapped. "Any machine, no matter how big and powerful it is, can have it's programming altered."

"And is not the brain similar in many ways to a computer Doctor?" The Red Guardian asked. "So in theory your memories could be altered to accept as facts, things that simply aren't so?"

"Like the fact that there is no Beige Guardian?" The Doctor quipped.

"He is not one of the Major Guardians, this is true." The Red Guardian spoke. "But he is a minor Guardian. He cannot functionindependently. He can only follow our orders. But focus Doctor. Tell us about Steven Taylor and Dodo Chaplet."

"What do you wish to know?" The Doctor shot back.

"Tell of us of your first meeting with each of them." The Azure Guardian asked.

"Look I see what you're doing." The Doctor said sarcastically. "You're testing my memories and as I've told you. They are fine."

"Tell us then Doctor." The Azure Guardian said in a mocking tone of voice.

"Very well." The Doctor snapped. "I first met Steven Taylor when, he was, hmmm, oh yes! He was stranded on Mechanus and he escaped with Barbara, Ian, Vicki and myself." The Doctor said smugly.

"And Harry and Liz?" The Red Guardian asked.

"Harry was a medical officer sent to take care of me after my third regeneration. Liz was my first assistant when I was exiled to Earth." The Doctor said. "Anything else?"

"How about Zoe?" The Crystal Guardian asked.

"Jamie and I met her aboard a Space Station in orbit above planet Earth." The Doctor said sighing.

"And Ian and Barbara?" The Gold Guardian asked.

"This is getting ridiculous!" The Doctor shouted. "What is the point! I've already told you countless times that there is nothing wrong with my memories!"

"Why so angry Doctor?" The Azure Guardian asked with feigned innocence. "Are these memories perhaps, disturbing you?"

"I met Ian and Barbara in a junk yard. I had parked the Tardis to do some work on it and, and, Susan wanted to learn more about Earth culture in the Mid-Twentieth Century. And I agreed. But being the genius that she is," The Doctor stopped feeling almost out of breath. "She attracted the attention of two of her school teachers."

"Ian and Barbara." The Gold Guardian said helpfully.

"Yes! Ian and Barbara!" The Doctor snapped. "Look! Do you want me to tell the story or do you want to do it?" The Doctor demanded of the Gold Guardian.

"Please Doctor." The Gold Guardian said sweetly. "Continue."

"So they followed her home one night and," The Doctor hesitated. "And they heard her voice coming from inside the Tardis. They barged their way inside and at that time, I didn't trust Humans. So I, I, I kidnapped them." The Doctor noticed the mocking looks on the Guardians faces. "Look I was scared! Okay?! Even Time Lords are allowed to get scared once in awhile!"

"Very good Doctor." The Azure Guardian said. "Your memories are indeed good. Now tell me about your adventure inside of the Dalek asylum Doctor." There was heavy sarcasm in his voice.

The Doctor started to recall this adventure when a piercing pain struck the Doctors mind. The Doctor grabbed his head and screamed in pain.

"Argh!" He bellowed. "What are you doing to me?!" He demanded of all of the Guardians.

"We are doing nothing Doctor." The Red Guardian spoke. "We are undoing what was done to you."

The pain inside of the Doctors mind began to subside.

"What's happening?" The Doctor yelled. "Why does my head feel like it's on fire!"

"Because now that your real memories have asserted themselves prominently inside of your mind, the false memories planted by the Evil One, are losing their hold."

"No!" The Doctor still resisted accepting that any of his memories were false.

"Really Doctor!" The Red Guardian voiced boomed out. "A switch INSIDE of an asylum? When in the history of any planet have you ever met a race so inept? Especially a robotic one?"

The Doctors head started to ache again.

"Now tell us about how a single leaf saved an entire planet?! " The Crystal Guardian asked.

The Doctor screamed some more.

"Please stop it!" The Doctor begged. "My mind can't take much more of this pain!"

"My favorite false memory has got to be the hidden Doctor." The Gold Guardian couldn't stop himself from laughing.

In fact several of the Guardians began laughing as well even as the Doctor fell to the ground convulsing in pain.

"Tell me Doctor." The Crystal Guardian asked unsympathetic of the pain the Doctor was in. "Did not the hidden Doctor or rather hidden 'Non-Doctor' seem just a tad familiar?"

The Doctor was in too much pain to answer.

"Did you not have a 'hidden friend' when you about three years old?" The Azure Guardian asked. "The one of you who would do all kinds of bad things and get YOU into trouble. But of course your parents couldn't see him because he was 'invisible'?"

slowly he started to regain control over his mind. The pain started to subside again. He slowly rose to his feet.

"You lot are a bunch of sadistic monsters." The Doctor said angrily. "I do have a hidden self. The one who destroyed Gallifrey and time-locked the entire Time War."

This made the Guardians laugh even more.

"And tell us Doctor." The Red Guardian asked. "And why was it no one else but you saw him?"

The Doctor's mind fumbled around for an answer to this.

"I don't know." The Doctor said. "I assumed because he was too clever."

"No Doctor!" The Red Guardian bellowed. "It was because he NEVER EXISTED! Except inside of your mind."

The Doctor felt numb. Then rage washed over him.

"But I was there!" The Doctor said as if gasping for air. "I was at Trenzalore. A desolate planet where my grave will be one day."

The Guardians shook their heads almost as if they were now pitying the Doctor. This angered The Doctor all the more.

"It will be!" The Doctor shouted. "I WAS there!"

"Doctor, allow us to show you the real Trenzalore." The Red Guardian said.

Suddenly they were on a lush green hill over looking a beautiful valley below. For as far as the eye could see, nothing but farms. The Doctor looks the place up and down.

"No!" The Doctor said. "This isn't Trenzalore."

"Very well Doctor." The Gold Guardian said. "Perhaps you'd believe a local?"

They suddenly appeared on a side street. The Gold Guardian transformed himself to appear as a local. He approached a young man about 20.

"Excuse me sir." The Gold Guardian said politely. "Could you tell my friend here the name of this planet? He seems to think we've come to the wrong one."

"Not at all." The young man replied. "This is Trenzalore. It is the 5700th year." He said.

"Thank you sir." The Gold Guardian waved his hand in a circular pattern.

The young man repeated it.

"Good day to you gentlemen." The young man said and then he continued on his way.

The Gold Guardian walked back to where the Doctor stood. The Doctor was in shock.

"This is the distant past." The Doctor said venturing a guess. "My tomb will be here in the far distant future."

"Nice try Doctor but this is the year you came to this planet. Well, inside of your mind." The Gold Guardian said. "That entire adventure inside of your time-stream...Never happened. And it goes without saying that both of those adventures where you thought Clara died...Also never happened."

"So Clara isn't even real." The Doctor asked.

"Of course she's real Doctor." The Crystal Guardian replied. "And some of your adventures really did happen. Sometimes Clara was with you. And sometimes, she was not. And when a Time Lord dies Doctor, you know as well as we do, that they do not turn into a time stream. How in heavens name could you have ever possibly accepted something so ludicrous? Even a three year old Gallifreyan child would laugh at such a concept."

"The Black Guardian really got his revenge, didn't he?" The Doctor said darkly. "Making me go around acting the fool? Making me imagine things that never happened?!"

"Well, with you living half of your life inside of a fantasy world, you would hardly be a real threat to him, now would you?" The Azure Guardian asked. "Not to mention you would be forever discredited in the eyes of the universe."

"You mean he did all of this just to discredit me?" The Doctor asked. "Of course! In my right mind, I'm a threat. I've beaten him twice."

"Wasn't the second time really Turlough's doing, Doctor?" The Azure Guardian asked.

"Well, I guess." The Doctor reluctantly admitted. "But still. If I hadn't saved him, he could have never defeated him."

This is far from over." The Crystal Guardian told the Doctor. "Our job is done. Another one will soon begin your final training. Take heart Doctor. You must be a pretty formidable force to be reckoned with if the Black Guardian went to all of this trouble to disable you." The Crystal Guardian finished warmly which very much surprised the Doctor.

"Wait a minute!" The Doctor fairly shouted. "Did you just compliment...Me?! After all of your mocking and demonstrating how weak I was compared to all of you?" he asked.

"You are actually quite remarkable Doctor." The Red Guardian said. "For a Time Lord."

"There it is!" The Doctor said happily. "That's the type of comment I've come to expect from you. But you know something? I don't care. I am feeling better now."

"Not for long." The Azure Guardian warned him. "Soon you be weaker then you've ever been in all of your lives. But there will one by your side who will help you through this."

"Clara?" The Doctor asked. "I know you don't mean River." The Doctor thought back to the horror he felt when he saw her shoot a man down in cold blood. That was an image he doubted he would ever get out of his mind. "I have to take care of her but as far as trusting her. Never."

"Actually it will be a he." The Gold Guardian replied. "And it will be someone with whom you are acquainted with. Clara will disappear for a short while. Don't fear for her Doctor. She will be fine. And since there is no (sniggering) lost Doctor, there is no Clara broken up into hundreds of people. But enough with the talk Doctor. Time for you to go back to your Tardis. Remember what you've learned Doctor. And if you ever wonder if your memories are real again, just look back to your pre-Time War memories."

And suddenly the Doctor is aboard the Tardis. River looks at him puzzled.

"Doctor what's matter?" River asked. "You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"Not quite." The Doctor said thoughtfully.

The Doctor ran to the console and began hurriedly entering coordinates.

"Doctor what are you doing?" River demanded to know. "Come on. You tell me everything." River purred.

"Whereas you don't tell me everything." The Doctor shot back angrily. "Do you?"

"You mean my constant use of 'spoilers'?! River asked sweetly.

The Doctor looked exasperated.

"Look if I NEVER hear that word 'spoilers' ever again, it will be too soon." The Doctor snapped. "Now be quiet and let me concentrate!"

River stormed out of the console room just as Clara entered.

"What's going on Doctor?" Clara asked. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Music to my ears." The Doctor said.

The Doctor ran to the closet in the console room and started pulling out all kinds of gadgets.

"Do as I say and don't ask too many questions." The Doctor ordered Clara.

Clara sat down and awaited instructions. The Doctor begins assembling the various components.

A few minutes later the Tardis arrived. The Doctor threw open both of the doors and then he thew the strange contraption out of the door towards the stars.

The Doctor can hear Star's voice inside of his head.

"Don't you tell me this is futile!" The Doctor shouted into the air.

Clara is shocked by this.

"Doctor?" Clara asked cautiously. "Who are you talking to?"

"To Star!" The Doctor replies much to Clara's surprise. "If I can relieve the pressure of the neutrinos then maybe I can buy Star a bit more time."

The Doctor plugged the device into the console and then activated it. The device causes a lot of pressure on the Tardis system.

"Doctor, I don't think the Tardis system can handle this much energy." Clara warned the Doctor as the console began smoking.

"Never mind!" The Doctor insisted. "Star is my friend and I will never stand by and let a friend die. Not if there is even the remote chance I can stop it!"

Suddenly the voice of the Red Guardian filled the console room.

"Doctor!" The Red Guardian's voice boomed. "This is futile. Just as Star said. You would be wise to cease this action at once."

"No!" The Doctor shouted defiantly. "Look I appreciate what you lot did for me, but don't try to stop me! Of course if you had a heart you'd help me!"

The Red Guardian said nothing.

The device the Doctor had thrown out is causing the Tardis system to overload. It is now reaching critical. Suddenly the device came unplugged from the Console and came floating back inside o. Suddenly the device came unplugged from the Console and came floating back inside of the Tardis.

"NO!" The Doctor shouted as he dropped to the floor with grief for his friend. "Why? Why won't you let me save her?"

"It wouldn't have worked for long Doctor." The Red Guardian.

"I don't care!" The Doctor retorted. "A month, a week? Even a day. I could at least say good-bye properly." The Doctor lamented.

"That won't be necessary Doctor." The Red Guardian responded. "We had no idea you would get so attached to a mere star. But seeing as you have we have granted her a stay."

The Doctor shot up at that.

"You mean she's been given a reprieve?" The Doctor asked excitedly.

"Yes, Doctor." The Red Guardian replied. "She has been granted an extra...two million years. I should think that is more then enough. Even for you."

The Doctor grabbed Clara and swung her around. He ran to the open doors.

"Star! Did you hear that?!" The Doctor shouted out into space. "You're not going to die! At least not for another couple million years!"

"Yes, Doctor." Star replied telepathically. "But we can't have any more adventures like we did. Talking is all we can do."

"Talking is good enough for me." The Doctor said happily. " Make a nice change of pace. Having someone to talk to and not have to worry about rescuing."

"Are you alright?" Star asked. "I feared you wouldn't be able to handle the flood of memories and emotions attached to them."

"The Guardians said things will get a bit rough, but I'll be fine." The Doctor assured her. "Don't you worry about me. You just worry about...twinkling."

"The other stars are all a buzz about our adventures Doctor." Star said. "Very few stars are chosen to take on Human Form."

"There have been others?" The Doctor asked.

"Of course." Star replied. "I'm hardly the first. Would you like me to tell you about the others?"

"Yes, but just one minute." The Doctor sat down on the edge of the doorway and indicated to Clara to do the same. "Tell the story slowly Star. I want to remember it so I can share them with my friend here."

"Doctor where did you meet this star?" Clara asked.

"Oh that's right." The Doctor said remembering. "One moment Star. The Guardians froze time for you and River. I've been gone for six days. Star was my companion for the various tasks I had to accomplish or they would have...

The Doctor began recollecting his adventures of the past six days.


End file.
